Monday, May 30, 2011

After spending Saturday in a Zombie mindset, I decided to go with something different last night. My choice was the 1983 homage horror Frightmare with Jeffrey Combs and now released by Troma.

Plot/ The film follows a group of drama students who decide to kidnap the corpse of a recently deceased horror movie star. Unfortunately, by disrupting his tomb, the kids have released an ancient black magic that begins consuming them one by one.

While I was excited to see the Troma Logo and the name Jeffrey Combs on this at the start, I soon realized that this was definitely not typical Troma as I did not get the satisfaction that I usually get from their flicks. The movie had its moments like some decent cinematography, the lead character, Ferdy Mayne is well cast as the horror icon, and there is a touch of creepy atmosphere. However, that is about where the positives end. The pacing is terrible and the movie creeps slowly, most of the characters are rigid, the audio quality is dreadful and most of the kills are just blah. In the end, this low-budget 1980s flick was watchable but nothing more. Watch at your own risk!

Plot/ In the After Dark Horrorfest entry, Life is wonderful for the people in the quiet, island town of Port Gamble....until a zombie virus outbreak!

For a while now I have been distancing myself from this flick not knowing what to expect, and now I am disappointed I did. What I found was an entertaining journey into the zombie world. This movie had a nice blend of comedy, gore and violence, with sound pacing and average performances. Was it perfect? No, there were some minor characterization and cinematography flaws that could be developed more, but overall the idea and storyline made this an enjoyable and light-hearted flick. While I am sure that it is not for everyone, fans of zombie-comedies and the zombie genre in should have a blast.

Here are some random shots from the Awesome Zombie Beach Party held today in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The day had fun, games, and some Hot Zombies. Next up, Saturday Nightmares Expo next weekend that includes a costume contest and a zombie walk.

Plot/ Count Regula is drawn and quartered for killing twelve virgins in his dungeon torture chamber. Thirty-five years later, he comes back to seek revenge on the daughter of his intended thirteenth victim and the son of his prosecutor in order to attain immortal life.

Much like the flick I selected to celebrate Horror Icon Vincent Price (Master of the World), this may be one of the most underrated films in Lee’s catalogue. Very loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Pit and the Pendulum, this movie is a surreal and atmospheric classic. Yes, it is not perfect, with some of the performances being subpar, but those flaws are easily overlooked because of the detailed cinematography, outstanding pacing, beautiful set design and creepy atmosphere. Most importantly, Lee’s performance is top notch and perfect for the role. For me, this is a flick that I can watch all of the time. It is an entertaining and distinctive display of vintage gothic horror and perfect for fans of grand years of Hammer Horror.

Plot/ The world in the late 19th century: A scientist and his team are held as "guests" of Robur on his airship, that he want to use to ensure peace on earth. Peace with all, even if he has to bombard military targets all over the world. Can the scientist stop him?

This is a very underrated film, that actually gets very little mention when talking about Price. Richard Matheson’s fun adaptation of two Verne stories is tremendous and allows the actors to shine (especially Price, who is perfect as Robur). The cinematography, production values and set designs are wonderful and the soundtrack fits the mood, atmosphere and story perfectly. Yes, the special effects are not top notch (even for that era) and some of the costumes are laughable, but those do not impact the overall feel of this flick. As a fan of Price and the Steampunk Movement, this film truly hit the spot. Check it out if you are in the mood for an inventive Sci-Fi Adventure.

As the month of May winds down and we are finished celebrating the birthdays of Horror Icons, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and Vincent Price, why noyt head down to the shore tomorrow for an incredible afternoon of Rotting Flesh, Eating Brain and Zombie Frolicking. My friends over at The New Jersey Zombie Walk are kicking off the summer season with an awesome event their first ever “Zombie Beach Party” in Asbury Park! On Saturday, May 28th zombies will once again converge on the Asbury Boardwalk as we kickoff the summer beach season and Memorial Day weekend.

This retro themed event will b...ring beach goers and zombie lovers back in time by invoking the spirit of the classic beach party films of the 1960’s. Beach activities will include games like brain volleyball, legless limbo, intestine-twister, zombie hula contests and more!

The event will also feature an amusement midway - a throwback to Palace Amusements and the games and boardwalk attractions that are part of Asbury Park’s history. Zombies can play traditional carnival games with an undead twist including a zombie dunk tank, a kissing (biting) booth, brain dart toss, and “Aim for the Head.” Players will have a chance to win an assortment of festive zombified prizes.

Wristbands will be available for $10 and will include a beach badge for the day, discounts on all midway games, and special savings at restaurants, bars and food stands down the full length of the boardwalk and throughout the entire city. A small team of professional make-up artists will also be on hand from noon until 5pm to give demonstrations and assist in giving complete zombie makeovers for a nominal fee of $15 for airbrushing with an additional $10 for scabs/wounds).